Exhauster for sprinkler systems



June 24, 1930.- w. B. GRIFFITH l 1,765,423

EXHAUSTER FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed July 27'. 192s 'Fjj 45 46 yf? 1 52 70 ZZ 5o I 6 *l 'lll/1% 23 Lma-.5!) A lllll n Patented lune Z4,

Usvain lsie"res WILLIAM B. Gefrieren, on Annuncia, New JERSEY, Assieivee. rro 'eren sterminata courent/irren, A coeroaatrreit or New JERSEY EXHAUSTER ronf'srnrnxtnrt sfrsfr'nmsy y Application filed .Tuly 27, 1925i.V rSerial No.' 255,713.v A

. My invention relatestc an ezzhauster for a-4 sprinklersystem and particularly relates to an eXhauster for use in connection with dry pipefvalves nowL in general vuse in `automatic 5 sprinkler: systems for fire protection. My invention particularly relates to an eXhauster comprising a casing, having a normally closed exhaust valve with means for opening the same upon a sudden reduction of air i0 pressure in the systeinwith'which theV eX- hauster is operatively connected. kThe object' of my invention is toprovide an eX- haus'ter comprising' a casing having the eX- haust'valve and operating means in one portion thereof and said casing having a separate compartment lformingy afloat chamber which is normally -dry when the sprinkler system isclosed; a further'object isto prof vide the casing andr connections with large passageways permitting the vair pressure to exhaust freely and rapidly through the eX-V hauster from the system to the large exhaust valve andeXhaust outlet whenthe system is opened; a further Objectis to provide afloat and a float valve within the float chamber for closingcommunication through the float chamber to the exhaust valve, subsequently to the opening of the latter, ywhen water is admitted to the l)float chamber upon the opening of the dry pipe valve of the system, thus preventing the passage of ,water through the eXhauster after the dry pipe valvehas opened'. These together with various novel features ofI construction and operation of the parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, constitute my invention. 'Referring to the accompanying drawing Fig.y l is a vertical central sectionalview of my improved eXhauster, and Fig. 2 is a view 40 similar to Fig. l showing the parts in a different position. l

In the drawings in which likev reference characters refer to like parts, '1 represents the casing of theexhauster provided with a connection 2 for the pipe 3 which is in communication withthe sprinkler system at a point above the dry pipe valve (not shown in the drawing), whereby the air pressure from the system' is admitted through thek relatively 5G large pipe'3 tothe exhauster.

and. .guided by rbs33 which slide looselv'5 The casingl is provided with a vertical wall 5,.which forms a float chamber 6 located within the casing l adjacent to the portion of the casing whichis provided with said connection 2, whereby air or waterentering through the pipe 3 will be received in the iioat chamber 6. :Within the casing l and located uponthe opposite sideofthe wall 5 from the fioat chamber6,.are formeda pressure chamber Al0, a 'neutral chamber 15,. anda pressureretaining chamber 20.' The pressure chamber l0 is in communication with the float chamber through alarge ,opening 22 formed in the upper portion of the wall A valve seat 23 is located upon the wall 5 65 and `surrounds said opening 22.v l

The casing is provided withfa web 25 whichis formed integral with the casing 'and with `the wall 5. Saidy web 25 is provided with aflarge `opening 23,1surounded by`a valve seat member 2'7zhaving a valve seat 28 and upon which latter the flexible valve ring 30 of the Ve:\:haust-valve 32 is adapted to seat. The'exhaust valve 32 is movable vertically within the circular wall of the valve seat member 27. Said valve 32 is adapted to control communication between lthe pressure chamber l0 and' the neutral chamber 15, which latter is provided with a largeexhaust outletl. The exhaust yvalve 32 is operated by a Hexible. diaphragm 35, having attachedto the central portion thereof a rod 37, which is pivotally associated with the exhaust valve 32. The'periphery of the diaphragm 35 is tightly' clamped upon a flange 40 formed upon the casing l and upon the wall 5 of the casing, bv a clamp ring 41, thereby tightly sealing the opening 43 formed through Athe Hange 40. The pressure retaining Vchamber 2O is thus lformedbelow the diaphragm 35 and the lange 40, which parts separate the chamber 2O fromthe lneut-ral chamber l5, and the ieXible diaphragm 35 causes the exhaust 95 valve 32 to open, or lift offthe seat 28, when the air pressure in the retaining chamber 20 is greater than the/air in the pressure chamber 10, above the exhaust valve 32.

A cover plate 45 is secured'to avertical lfm racing surface 46, formed upon the casing 1, by means ot bolts 47. Said cover plate is provided with a large cavity forming said exhaust outlet 16, which latterI is in communication with the neutral chamber 15 formed bet veen the eXhaust valve 32 and the diaphragm 35.

rlhe cover plate 45 is provided with a cored passageway which forms a communication between the pressure chamber `10 and the pressure retaining chamber 20. y

A slow leak device 51, in the form of a iitting provided with a minute aperture 52, is located within the pressure chamber 10 and secured upon the cover plate'45 at the f entrance to said passageway 50. Said device 51 'forms a restricted oriiice 52 through which the air pressuremays'lowly pass between the chambers 10 and 20 and =thus equalize.

A float valve 55 is located inthe float chamber 6 and is adapted to close uponthe valve seat 23. The valve 55 is pivotedl upon'a shalt 56 mounted in a bearing 57 uponthe wall 5. in arm 56 upon the valve 55 is loosely pivoted to a supporting rod 60secured to a float 61and adaptedY to support the valve 55 in the vopen position, shown in Fig. 1,V when ythe oat chamber 6 is dry. Then the chamber 6 is filled with water theV iloat Y61 will lift and close the float valve 55 upon its seat 23, `thus preventing water `from passing` into the pressure chamber 10. Y y

The operation of my invention is as 'lollows.; when the sprinkler system .is charged, the air pressure trom the system will be admitted to the exhauster casing l, through the pipe 3 through the opening 22, formed in the wall 5 at the top oli' the float Chamber 6. The pressure in chamber 10 will hold the valve 32 closed, as shown in Fig. 1, and the air rpressure will pass through the restricted orifice 52 and the passageway A5() Yinto the .pressure retain-v ing chamber 20, thus allowing the pressure to slowly equalizein chambers 10 and 20. kThe 'lioat chamber 6 is normally dry so that the float 61 will remain at the bottom of the chamber 6 and 'hold the lloat valve 55 in the open positionvll shown in :F ig. 1.

l-Vhen the air pressure in the system is yreduced bythe opening of a sprinkler head, the restricted orifice 52 will retain the pressure in the pressure lretaining chamber 2O suficiently to'allow the diaphragm 85 to move outwardly, relatively Vto the chamber 20, thus lifting the valve 32 against the reduced pressure in the chamberV 10, thereby allowing the Aair pressure from the system t0 exhaust around the valve 32 and pass to the atmosphere through the exhaust outlet 16.

My novel form of exhauster allows the dry pipe valve to open at an earlier period of ltime dueto .the rapid exhausting of the air pressure through the largeexhaust outlet 16. When the dry pipe valve has opened and and enter vthe pressure chamber 10` munication between the system-and the pressure chamber 10 and preventing the flow of water through the eXhauster. Should the water tlowing through the pipe 3 pass through the float 4cha-rnber and into the pressure chamber 10 before the float valve is closed, the water pressure above the valve 32 will close the latter, providing the water pressure in the chamber 10 isgrzeater than the air Apressure in the chamber 20, and as soon as the float chambei' 6 receives sullicient water yto cause the float to rise and close the loat `valve,theexhauster will be sealed by thesaid loatvalve Yand prevent the escape-oit water thr-.Oughfth'e erhauster casing 1. Thiste'atureis anadvarr tage in case the air pressurein the retaining chamber 2O is greater than the water-.pressure in the chamber 10 which would :preventthe 'valve 32 :from lclosing immediately.V

'My novel `torni of .exhauste'r permits-the use ot extremely large exhaust outlet pas# sageways, such asthe pipe13the'opieningv22 `in the wall 5., the exhaust outlet T16 andthe large exhaust valve 32,thus providing means for qui lrlyexhausting `the air pressureffrom the system when the sprinkler lheadiS-Opened, thereby insuring-:the quick action'ofthe/d'ry pipe valve and tor immediately.closingthe exhaust outlet et the exhauster when water's admitted to the system through `thedrypipe valve. Y

Various changes of construction, other than those shown in the drawing, .may vbe made without departing ltrom-my invention.

1. An exhauster lor a sprinkler system comprising, a Vcasing-having a 5"float chamber formed therein, va connection uponfthe casing forming a means of communication vbetween t ie system :and said yfloat;chambensa-id casing having ,an outlet passageway termed in #the upper portion of thetloat'chamber, avalve sfor closing sai-d outlet passageway, a float within said chamber operatively associated with said valve :for closing said passageway when water enters the float chamber, said .casing having a pressure` chamber i'ormed therein communicating with Ithe vfloat chamber throughsaid outlet passageway romtheloat chamber, an exhaust valve located in .said

pressure chamber, normally held closed by vthe 4pressure in said chamberysaidcasing'having an exhaust outlet @formed therein controlled'by said exhaust valve,.said vcasing having a pressure .retaining chamber itormed therein, a. member associated with said 1retaining chamber movable by relative ichanges of pressure within said retaining and pressure chambers, said member :operably 'associated with said exhaustvalve forop'ening 'the CSI inl

latter, and said casing having a restricted passageway forming corjzmumcation between said pressure and retaining chambers.

2. An exhauster for a sprinkler systemy having a dry pipe valve, comprising a casing l'orming a ioat chamber, said casing having a relatively large inlet connection forming a communication between the system above the dry pipe valve and the float chamber, said casing having an outlet passageway formed in the upper portion of the float chamber, a valve operatively mountedV upon the casing for closing said outlet passageway, a lioat operatively associated with the valve for closing said outlet passageway when water enters the iioat chamber, said casing having a pressure chamber formed therein in communication with the float chamber through said outlet passageway, said casing having an exhaust outlet forming a communication between the pressure chamber and the atmosphere, an exhaust valve for controlling the exhausting of air pressure from the float chamber through said exhaust outlet normally held closed by the pressure in said pressure cnamber, and a movable member associated with the exhaust valve actuated by a sudden reduction of pressure in the sprinkler system for opening the exhaust valve.

3. An exhauster for a sprinkler system having a dry pipe valve comprising a casing, said casing having a connection forming a communication between said casing and the system above the dry pipe valve, a wall within the casing forming a float chamber with which said connection is in communication, said wall having a valve seat s-urrounding an opening located at the upper portion of the float chamber, `a valve operatively mounted adjacent to said valve seat, a float within said float chamber operatively associated with said valve for closing the latter when water enters the float chamber through said connection with the system, said casing having an exhaust outlet to the atmosphere, an exhaust valve located between the float chamber and the exhaust outlet for closing the latter, said exhaust valve normally held closed by the pressure in said pressure chamber, and means for opening the exhaust valve upon a sudden reduction of press-ure in the system.

4. An exhauster comprising a casing having a float chamber formed therein, a connection upon the casing forming an inlet connection to the float chamber, said casing having a pressure chamber formed therein, a wall within the casing having a passageway formed through the upper portion thereof, a valve for closing said passageway, a ioat operatively associated with the valve for operating the latter to close said passageway when water enters the float chamber, said casing having a pressure retaining chamber formed therein located in spaced relation 'to the pressure chamber, said casing having a neutral chamber located between said pressure chamber and saidl retaining chamber, an

exhaust valve for closing a passageway formed between said pressure chamber and said neutral chamber normally held closed by the pressure in said pressure chamber, a movable member operatively associated with the exhaust valve for opening the latter when actuated by.a greater pressure within the retaining chamber relatively to the pressure in said pressure chamber, a cover plate detachably secured to said casing, said cover plate having an exhaust outlet formed therethrough registering with said neutral chamber, said cover plate having a passageway formed therein forming a communication between said press-ure chamber and said retaining chamber, anda slow leak device located in said last mentioned passageway.

5. An exhauster for a sprinkler system` comprising, a casing having a pressure chamber formed therein, said casing having a connection forming a communication between the pressure chamber and said system, said casing having a passageway forming an exhaust outlet from the pressure chamber to the atmosphere, an exhaust valve for closing said passageway normally held closed by the pressure in said pressure chamber, said casing having a pressure retaining chamber formed therein, a movable member operatively associated with said retaining chamber, a rod operatively positioned between said movable member and said exhaust valve for opening the latter upon the rapid decrease in pressure in said pressure chamber, said pressure and retaining chambers being located in spaced relation to each other having said exhaust outlet positioned between the exhaust valve and said movable member, said casing having a passageway'formed therein communicatingbetwee'n the pressure chamber and the retaining chamber, and a slow leak device located 'in said last mentioned passageway.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM B. GRIFFITI-I.` 

